Written by

Steve Jones, USA TODAY

Francis Ford Coppola is one of the most influential filmmakers of our time, not only because of his masterpieces The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, but also innovations in filmmaking and independent spirit. He won his first Academy Award in 1970 as a screenwriter on Patton, two years before he gained fame as a director. Since then he's created a diverse body of work with everything from war films to romantic comedies to coming-of-age tales.